Distillation apparatus



Sqn. 18,1923. 1,468,435

* J. ZANDER u DI STILLATION APPARATUS Filed July 21. 1920 5 Shultz-Sheet 1 3 l ggiggggf %//%//f//^ j,

.9 uf." 9%@ @@u! 1,468,435 Sept 18 1923' J. zANDER DI STILLAT I 0N APPARATUS Filed July 21, 1920 :s sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 18, 1923.

UNITED STATES JonN ZANDER, or emesso, ILLINOIS.

DISTILLATION APPARATUS.

Application led vJuly 21,

I'ovalZ/wkomitmay caricare'. i

13v it known that I, J orrN Zancan, a citi zen of the United States,residingatQhL, cago, in the county of Cook and StateA of Illinois,.have invented a newl and useful improvement in Distillation Apparatus, of

which the following is .ya specification, v

My 'invention relates,l more particularly, though not exclusively, to the art of extracting oils from oil-bearing shale-like matenial. which Ais commonly found in natural conditioninwhich the oil is usually in the forni ofbiturnen .impregnating the solids.: I

4L /lfyiprilnary object is to provide Ifor the economical extraction of the oils fromA oilbearin solids,:and the obtaining therefrom of a. re atively largeiproportion of the contained'oils; and to provide a novel, simple and economical construction of apparatus by which the oil-extracting operation may-be carriedon as a, continuous process and at themini mum expense.. I Y

Referrin v,tothe accompanying drawings wherein I ave Vshown a-desirable construction 1of apparatusflor the practicing of my improved method and cna whichconstitutes a desirableembodiment of'my improvements in .still constructions 3.- L Figure 1 is a view insectio'nal elevation, the -section being taken Vlongitudinally of u; the still construction,I the Yportion of the structure in -the upper part', of the view being a continuation of the structure in theA lower partofthe View, thesetwofportions of thestructures bein thus shown to more clearly bring out the etails of the end portions of the` still. `Figure 2 isa plan view of the part of thefstructure shown in Fig. 1. Figure 3 is a section taken at theline 3 3 on Fig. 1 and viewed inthe direction of the f arrows. Figure 4 is an end'view of the structure showin it 4as viewed from the right in Fig. 1 and Figures 5 and 6, Sections taken atthe lines 5 and 6'011 Fig. 3- and viewed in the direction ot'v thel arrows.

The particular construction illustrated` isformedof a furnace preferably horizon-V tally disposed and ,generally illustrated at 10, the walls of which are made of any desir'- able lfire-resisting material and its interior :construction preferably being such, as hereinafter described, as tocause the products of combustion to travelthrough the lfurnace in a tortuous path. The Yfurnace is shown as adapted for the burning of gas introduced into the furnace chamber through a burner 1920. Serial No. 398,010.

FePIQSeltd at.11 extending into an inletv 12 in an endvwall 13 of the furnace structure, this burner 4b eingsupplied-with gas from any suitable sourcegbut preferably with'gas evolved from the-,material treated in the still, as hereinafter explainedrthe furnace 10 being provided at theend thereof opposite that at which the burner. l1 lis located, with an outletstack :represented at 14.

The structure providing the chamber or compartment in which the material to be operated on,is.subjected to the desired heat, is represented` generally at 15, this structure in aceordance,with the structure shown being preferably formed of metal and involving-.a shellfl which isA located in, and extends longitudinally through, the furnace structure 10, in gwhieh position it is subjected to the heatV of the furnace.

,The shell 16, is.'shown as of rectanvfular shape in crossfsection,4 the end thereof adia'cent the stack 14 (the left hand end in Hg. 1, lower view) being ,closed and its opposite end at` which it. extends through the urnace wall 13,I being open. The shell 16 is provided with a substantially horizontallydisposed partitionniember 17 which extends lengthwise of the 4shell,but short ofthe end of the latter, adjacent the stack 14, this partition, 4which extendsthe full width of the shell 16 being formed, as to the portion thereof which is `located Within the shell, with an air space 18.

The ,bottom of the furnace structure 10 is continuedfto the right i-n` Fig. 1 beyond the end wall 13, and rising therefrom are the walls 100ancl 101 shown as spaced apart the same distance as the vertical side walls of theshell. The top and bottom walls of the shell, and the partition 17, are continued outwardly beyond the wall 13 at which points they are deflected downwardly as represented at 19, 20 and 2l, respectively. The extensions of the bottom wall of the shell, 16 and the partition, as referred to, are also provided with upwardly deflected, or inclining, portions 22 and 23, respectively, forming continuations of the deHected portions 2O and 21, respectively, whereby theseextensions are of trough-like-form in cross-section as represented. The extensions of the top and bottom Walls and the partition of the shell, and just described. are preferably of a Width equal to the width of thespace between the walls lO() and 101 into the `space between which they extend and are suitably' joined thereto to produce watertight joints, th extension 'portion 22 preferably containing an opening 24, shown as above the lower edge of the extension 19, for permitting the liquidfseal material. hereinafter referred to, to flow into the trough formed of the plate portions 21 and 22.

AS a preface to the following description, it may be statedfthat in the operation of the structure the oil-bearingr material to be subjected to heat, is introduced into the shell 16 of the' still at the right hand en'd in theupper View of Fig. 1 between the plate portions I9'and 20 and moved along the partition 17 from which it discharges upon the bottom of the shell andl is thence moved along the latter to the right ln Fig. 1 to the outlet for 'thematerial It is pre ferred that the furnace be so constructed that the greatest heat to which the mate rial is subjected, be applied to the material adjacent the vdischarge ent] therefor of the furnace, and that the lowest heat to which itis subjected The applied at, thet materiali'r'ilet end of the furnace. "As a'meansfor accomplishing this result I have shown the furnace structure as projviide'd with a 'series of 'tortuous passages through which the products 'of combustionpass i'n'th'eii travel to the' staclr.4 Tl'ie rfurnace strfu'ct-ure shown is i'o'vided toward one end 'and below the she l 16, with a pier, or aitiftion7 25 which is s aced at its lateral e geslfromsuljstan tia vertically disposedpar'titions 26 and 27 which extend lengthw'ise"throughl thc furnace chamber and divide 'it into ya central cliilcr28. into which the ib'urner, 11 dis chat' s, and the side chambers rfluesV 29' and' 9V which are located vlzttip'ill` "beyond thesi'd'elwalls of' the shell e partitions 26 and 27 beyondV thep'ier 25 are formed with laterally and inwardly-project ing wallsections' 30 and 31, respectively,

which reach' :short of each other Vsubstantially'midway4 of these partitions and form a restricted channel 32, the bottom wall of the furnace structure 10, at the end. thereof adjacent the stack 14 4and' beyond the extensio'ns 30 and 31, containing recesses 33 and 34 which extend uiider thepartitions 26 and 27'and communicatewi'th 'the flue passages 29 and 29, the metal plates form-r ing the side-wallsiof the shell 16 being extended upwardly beyond the top wall of the shell 16 represented at 35, as ,clearly shown in Fig..5, throughout th.e"length of the Afl'llrnac'e chamber thereby aifording a flue 36 which is in communication, .adjacent the end of the structure into which the material to be operated on, is introduced, with the/flue passages 29 and 29, through the medium of recesses 37 and 38 formed in the lower surface of the top wall of the` furnace structure 10. It will be understood from the foregoing that the products of combustionlare caused to take a course as illustrated by the arrows in the drawings, the products of combustion, referring to Fig. 3, passing from thc burner into the chamber 28 around Vthe pier 25, thence through the opening 32, and downwardly and laterally through the recesses 33 and 84- into the flue passages 29 and 29a adj-1 cent the Stacie-end of the furnace structure, thence bac'lrwa'x'dly alongsidethe side walls of the'shel-l 16: and outwardly' and inwardly through the recesses 37 and 38 into the flue passage 36andthcnce` to the left in lFig. 1 to thc stack 14 from which they discharge.

The degree of heat to which the oil-hearing material is to'be 'subjected 'may depend somewhat'upon -the character 'of 'the mate rial, but by'v way of example it. may be stated thatiii the"treating of oil-bearing shale it will be desirable' toheat the material ad'acent the: point at which it enters the she l, to aboutf250 F., and graduate the heat:alon`githe course through which the material' asses in Vthe'slullV to about 900 or 1000"' F; adjacetthe end of the'fiirnace e mdina am@ una latter being 41mi-*6a fshaft @suitably jour'- naid infestata jajonittsfufae Smmiu'fe aadj-uinf rsthppudhthe medium of thepd'riye Q'ffa'riy' suitable construe den olirutfaill fdrrrthe belt-driven pulley 47. '1`he"chfaiis 'referred' t extend other f 'the diret a. pair of sprockets' in 'ther .shell'r16' and secured to `shaft" oi'rnaled any lsuitable Way.` The'lspro'clrets 40'a'nd V't8 are so arranged that 'the'upper portitfs' of the chains e'xtend sli;l htly alove th upperf'sun face fof the "artitio'n 1'( and its extesioiis 2U and 22 and't e lower' prtions of thse chains extend slightly above the bottom wallE of tliegshell 16 and thei'elr'tensi'iis" 21 and 23 thereof; there being` proyddaliove the Said cxtensions'-fpf le'partiriiiloiiaid bottoni' llfall of thesh'ell` paii'df'sproclets' 50 andI 5l fixed on shafts V52'3`1'nd 53, resI'Jectivelyj` the sprockets 50 and 51 'engaging the chains and being so positioned as to cause the chains to at thev ment of t-hei chainsarescausedj-toefmove -izr contact with,'and along,fthe rupper sur-faces of the partition and its trough-like extension and the upper ,surfaceotthe bottom fwall, of the'shell 4and -theztroughflike extension,

i of thev latter.; 1.'.

The outlet Aincthe shell 16, Iorfthevapors and gases evolvedin thelieatingf the mates rialas hereinbefore' explained,vis represented at 55, this outlet being connected Withfapipe 5G which opens into a condenser coil '57 located in coolingtank 58 supplied with cooling Water as through the medium of a: pipe 59 which may lead to any suitable source of supply` the other end of the cooling coil 57 being connected with a coupling 60 connected at its lower end With a goose-neck pipe 61 shown as extending into a position to discharge the liquid flowing from this pipe as hereinafter described, into a receptaclc, such as the barrel represented at 62. The other end of the coupling 60 connects with a pipe 63 which has a depending extension 6ft opening into a chamber 65 loca-ted in the cooling tank 58 and having communica tion therewith, as through the medium of the openings 66 in the tank 65, whereby Water is supplied to this chamber. as for example to the level indicated in Fig. 4, the lower end ot the pipe 64 extending into the water as shown for a purpose hereinafter explained4 The pipe 63 also connects with a pipe 67 valved, as indicated at 68, and opening into a pipe 69 connected With the burner l1 for supplying gas, as fuel, to the burner, the pipe 69 being Shown as extending beyond the pipe 67 and equipped with a valve 70 for connection with any other suitable supply of gas to be used if desired.

ln the operation of the structure any suitable liquid, preferably water, is introduced into the trough-like extensions of the partition 17 and the bottom wall of the shell 16, the Water in the lowertrough to extend above the under surface of the upper trough, and the water in the upper trough to extend above the lower extremity ofthe plate extension 19, the water preferably extending to the levels :is noted in the drawing at. 7l and TQ, respectively` the opening 24 forming means whereby the water overflows from the upper trough into the lower trough.

The material from which the oil is to be removedgiand which .inthe case of so-called oil-bearing shales ispreferably preliminarily crushed into pieces aboutthesize Iotahazelnut, ,isintroduced 4fmtogthe upper trough 'of which ,the plate sect ions .20and22-forni the bottom, Y tfhe4 materialf-thus becoming -mmersed inf the water` bathtyAssumiug the furnace -to be heated,-as through the burner 11 v 'as hereinbefore deSori-bed,-and fthe shaft 4.11y rotated -in thefdireetionpoetlie, arrow-in Ifigg-lfto iactuate the bladefequippedgendless element hereinbegfore described, .the blades v54 in moving alongfthe upper surface otthe upper trough, operate 4to!engag 1e-tlu =l material in theltrougliand `move ittherefrom anda'long the upper surface of the ;part ition 1,7 from Whiclrit-discharges upon the-.bottom wall of the shell 16 IWhere it is againl engaged bythe blades 54s :andlfby the latter.l moved; to, and into,`,theqlovverwtrough wherein it becomes immersed :ein the vvaters in fithis t/rough, the blades (in 3 their@ mntinuing I movement l. discharging, the .material Vat .the righth and (end of the trough in Fig. lfrom which'it may be conducted away in any desirable manner.

It will beinoted that in so operating on the material there is caused to be presented in the shell water-vapor to an amount suficient to cause the bitumen in the shale, under the action of the heat to which the material is subjected, to give up a large amount of the oils obtainable therefrom.

In the subjection of the-solids to heat as stated, the volatile matter evolved therefrom passes out of the shell at its outlet 56, thence passing into the condenser coil 57 wherein the condensable vapors are condensed and discharged through the gooseneck 61 into a receptacle 62. The non-condensable gases derived from the material treated rise in the pipe 63 and pass into the pipe 67, and thence pass to the burner 11. The pipe 64 co-operatin with the waterbath in the tank 65 which latter has an outlet 66, is provided as a relief for the pressure evolved in the shell 15 in the event that it approaches a degree which might blow out the iqud-seal at the inlet or outlet end of the sh ell,the pressure maintained in the Shell bein dependent upon the depth of the seal provi ed 1n the chamber 65. The gas which, in the event of excessive pressure, escapes from the pipe 64 discharges through the pipe 66 to stora e or any desirable use. It may be fonn desirable to provide, instead of a single outlet for the vapors evolved in the shell, a plurality of such outlets arranged along the shell at different points, with condensmg apparatus for each as described of the outlet, 55. to separately conduct away from the shell and separately condense the vapors evolved at different temperatures, instead of commingling them, such modification being within my invention.

A pipe 58a serves to conduct from the hamber 58 to the upper liquid-seal trough, outflow from this chamber, to supply the trou hs with water.

W ile I have illustrated and described a particular apparatus involving Structural features Within my invention, and formingr a desirable apparatus for practicing my improved fnethod, I do not'wish to be understood' as intending to limit my 4invention thereto, as the Structure may be variously modified and altered without departing Jfrom the spirit ofmy invention, and other 'forms of apparatus may be used in carryingT out my improved method.

What I claimas 'newand desire to secure by Letters Patent s': Y

LA still of the character set forth, comprising a chamber having floor sections arranged one above the other in spaced `relatio`n with an opening from the upper l'lor lto the floor below' it, said furnace having a, 'liquid-'seal inlet toward the @ad of the 'upper floor opposite that containing leaid opening, and a liquid-seal outlet toward the end of the lower floor opposite that adjacent said opening; means for heating the material, and mc'anlq operating through said liquidvseals for moving the material from said inlet alongr Said floor sections and through said outletA 2. A still of the character set forth, comprising a chamber having Hoor sections arranged one above the other in spaced relation with an opening from the upper Hoor to the floor below it`r said furnace having; a li'qui'dfseal inlet toward the end of the upper floor opposite that containing said opening, and la liquid-seal outlet toward the end of the lower floor opposite that 'adjacent said opening. means for heating the material, and endless means operating through Said liquid-seals for moving the' material from said inlet along said floor sections and through said outlet. i

JOHN ZANDER. 

